MBA admissions 2011: FAQs on AICTE approved B-schools

On March 17, hearing the plea made by three petitioners – EPSI, AIMS and Jaipuria Group of Institutions, the honourable Supreme Court of India granted interim stay to the B-schools against the AICTE notification.

In light of the verdict there are now many questions cropping up in the minds of the MBA aspirants, who wish to apply at different B-schools for admissions. In this context MBAUniverse.com brings to you this all important FAQs that will answer most of your questions with respect to MBA Admission 2011.

Q. What were the issues with AICTE that prompted B-schools to knock the door of Supreme Court of India?
A. The AICTE notification adversely impacts the admission process and academic curriculum of India’s 545 B-schools offering Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) programs like S P Jain, Mumbai; IMI, Delhi; XLRI Jamshedpur, MDI Gurgaon, IMT Ghaziabad, BIMTECH Greater Noida; TA  Pai, Manipal; XIMB and many more prestigious institutes.

The AICTE had issued its notification in December 2010 to B-schools listing a new set of rules for the B-schools of the country to follow. The circular instructed not only the doing away with important MBA entrance exams, such as the XAT, ATMA or MICAT, but ascertained that only CAT, MAT or any state government-conducted exams (such as the Maharashtra CET) can serve as entry points to B-schools.

Another point in the circular, which rubbed many B-schools the wrong way, instructed B-schools to admit students only through a state government operated process. AICTE stated that such colleges and institutes cannot set their own fee structures. They can only charge fees approved by a competent state government body.

Q. What does the recent verdict by Supreme Court say?
A. The verdict provides relief to more than 500 AICTE-recognised B-schools as they are now at liberty to select students subject to the use any of the entrance tests of CAT, MAT, and XAT for the admissions to the 2011-13 batch and retain the power to conduct their own GD-PI for admissions to the 2011-13 batch.

They are also entitled to charge fee determined by them subject to sharing the details with the fee fixation committee to be formed by the respective state governments.

Q. What is the overall impact of the SC verdict on the current admissions process?

A. The verdict has brought big relief to the B-schools that were keeping their fingers crossed and had pressed the stop button for conducting the Admission process for the Academic year 2011-13. Now the admissions process for the 2011-13 batch at B-schools are in full swing.

Q. Which AICTE approved B-schools can I apply to right now?

A. Right now the admissions process is on. You can apply. You should have a valid CAT, XAT, MAT score.

There are more than 100 good quality AICTE recognised B-schools in the country. Some of the B-schools belonging to the top 50 are: XLRI Jamshedpur, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, XIMB, IMT Ghaziabad, IMI New Delhi, Welingkar Mumbai, BIMTECH Greater Noida, TAPMI Manipal. These B-schools are the torch bearers of management education. For admissions to these aforementioned B-schools you should have a high percentile score in CAT exam.

In the next part of this FAQ series we will talk about the Fees, Placements, Funding and other important topics with respect to B-school admissions. Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com.